Following a 5% decrease in total U.S. vehicle sales during...

Following a 5% decrease in total U.S. vehicle sales during November, DaimlerChrysler Corp. has announced that it intends to idle more North American factories. Two of its 12 North American facilities, located in Newark, Del. and St. Louis, will be temporarily shut down during the week of Dec. 4. The Windsor, Ontario facility will be closed the following week, and for the week of Dec. 18, assembly plants in Belvidere, Ill.; Brampton, Ontario; Detroit; St. Louis; and Toledo, Ohio will not operate. The decision was made as Chrysler had previously idled three factories to reduce overflowing inventories at dealerships. These closures will result in 13,600 auto workers being without jobs. According to the company's sales report, the sales of cars and minivans suffered the steepest declines, with car sales falling 15% to 45,959 units, and minivan sales dropping 16% to 28,902 units. On the other hand, truck sales declined 2% to 138,106 units, while sales of sport-utility vehicles rose 6% to 62,461, bringing total sales to 184,065 vehicles.

Friday, 1 December, 2000